Associate Life

Our firm is a worldwide integrated partnership the success of which rests on the quality and commitment of the partners and associates in all of our offices. We generally hire candidates whom we believe to have the potential for a long-term career with our firm, and we hope that they will succeed.

However, our goal is for associates to be fully engaged in client and firm matters and to have a professionally and personally rewarding experience at the firm, whether or not it is for their full professional life or for a more limited period of time. Associates are encouraged to take an active role in existing client relationships as well as in new client development. Many of our firm committees include associate members, and associates also play a significant part in the development of our practice. We believe that this approach allows us to provide our clients with the highest level of legal services, and will make the firm’s practice of law enjoyable and successful for its lawyers.

We strive to maintain an informal and collegial working environment that accommodates lawyers’ individuality. Collegiality is at the core of our culture, stemming directly from the democratic and participatory nature of the partnership.

Alternate Work Schedules. We understand the importance of accommodating the needs of our lawyers and recognize that an alternate work schedule is often helpful or necessary for an individual lawyer, and thus important for the firm. Associates may work on reduced schedules to assist them in carrying out primary childcare responsibilities or under certain other circumstances (including pursuing an academic career).

Decisions about reduced schedules are made collaboratively by the firm and the lawyer, on a case-by-case basis. We believe that the success of a reduced schedule is the responsibility of both the firm and the lawyer and that both need to be flexible in accommodating client and individual needs.